Automatic land leveler



April 11, 1950 G. '5. SHUEY 2,503,638

AUTOMATIC LAND LEVELER Filed N'ov. l, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR.

ATTIJ R N EYS April 11, 1950 s u 2,503,638

AUTOMATIC LAND LEVELER Filed Nov. 1, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN ENTOR. 660/9613 Ski/6g,

ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 11, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC LAND LEVELER George E. Shuey, Ellensburg, Wash. Application November 1, 1948, Serial No. 57,669

3 Claims. (Cl. 37-165) The present invention relates to the general class of surface excavating by means of wheeled implements having a scoop or scraper blade, and adapted to be towed by a tractor, or operated in other suitable manner, and more specifically the invention is embodied in an automatic land leveller for surface grading of roadways and other land areas.

In carrying out my invention I utilize an articulated or flexibly jointed implement, in which the scoop, scraper blade, or other type of leveller is suspended, and means are provided for manually adjusting the articulated implement for automatically adapting the scraper for use on irregular or non-level surfaces in moving the soil, while at the same time rendering the scraper inoperative on the soil of level surfaces. In this manner the digging operations or excavations of the scraper are automatically controlled, and the operations of discharging or dumping loads from the scraper are also controlled.

The implement and its operating parts include a minimum number of elements or devicesthat may with facility be manufactured with low cost of production, and the various parts may be assembled with convenience to insure a comparatively light, but strong and durable appliance that is efiicient in the performance of its required functions.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as will hereinafter be described, and more particularly set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a complete example of a physical embodiment of my invention in which the parts are combined and arranged in accord with one mode I have devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention. It will however be understood that changes and alterations are contemplated and may be made in these exemplifying drawings and mechanical structures, within the scope of my claims, without departing from the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the automatic land leveller of my invention; and Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view at line 2-2 of Fi '1.

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation showing the implement in lowered digging position.

Figure 4 is a view in side elevation with the scraper in raised filling position.

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view as at line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the scraper and its operative parts. Figure 7 is a horizontal detail sectional view. Figure 8 is a detail vertical sectional view of a portion of the adjusting mechanism; and Figure 9 is' a horizontal detail sectional view at line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

In the preferred form of the invention shown in the drawings the implement includes a rectangular main frame made up of two articulated 'or hinged sections A and B, the front sec tion A being fabricated of channel beams with side bars I, I, alined with the side bars 2, 2 of rear section B, and the articulated frame is provided with a front cross bar 3 to which a coupling is attached for hitching a tractor or other propelling vehicle.

The rear cross bar I of the hinged frame is equipped with a vertically adjustable wheel mount, and diagonally arranged braces 5, 5, are provided for the section A, while section B is equipped with diagonal braces G, 6, all bolted or otherwise united to form rigid sections.

The articulated frame is equipped with a front central caster wheel I having a swivel mount, and the rear section B is equipped with a centrally located caster wheel 8 that supports the rear end of. the section B so that this section is vertically adjustable with relation to the front section. At the longitudinal center of the hinged or articulated frame a pair of larger supporting wheels 9, 9, are located outside the frame and journaled upon horizontal stud shafts or axles I0, I0, that are passed through holes drilled. in the adjoining ends ofthe two sections A and B, and these bolts or axles alined transversely of theimplement form the pivots or hinges of the frame A and B.

For relatively adjusting the angularity of the two frame sections on the stud axles by raising and lowering the rear end of section B, a longitudinally extending rod II having a front crank handle I2 is rotatably mounted in an upright post I3 rigidly attached at the front end of section A, and the rear end of the rod is flexibly jointed at I4 to a rotary shaft I5 journaled in bearing I8 of a supporting bracket I'I rigidly mounted upon the rear end of the rear section of the frame. The rotary shaft is equipped with a pinion or rack gear I8 that meshes with an upright rack bar I 9, which forms the post for the wheel 8, and the rack wheel projects through a slot in an upright tubular guide 20 that is rigidly mounted upon the rear end of section B. By turning the rod I I it will be apparent that the rear end of section B may be vertically adjusted,

asoaase with the stud axles as a center of movement, from the straight arrangement of the frame sections in Fig. 2, to either of the opposed angular arrangements in Figs. Sand 4, for controlling the position of the scraper or leveller.

The leveller, which is pivotally mounted on the front section A is automatically operated by lever and linkage mechanism supported in a suspending frame that is mounted on the adjoining inner ends of the two frame sections A and B and the position of the leveller may be varied by operating the adjusting rod l I.

The leveller includes a transversely arranged scraper blade 2! disposed in a vertical plane just back of the hinge joint of the frame sections, and the blade is provided with a pair of forwardly projecting side wings or lateral wall 22, 22, each having a series of holes 23 for selective use in pivoting the leveller as at 24, 24 to the two side rails I, l, of the front section A.

In addition to its vertically adjustable pivotal supports 24, 24, the leveller is suspended by means of two upright link 25, 25, each pivoted at its lower end by bolts 26 to brackets mounted on the rear side of the blade, and the upper ends of these links are hinged by bolts 21 to an arm 28 having adjusting holes 29 for selective use of the pivot bolts. The arm 28 forms part of a bell crank lever, two of which are employed, and these levers are journaled at 30, 30 upon a transversely arranged bar 3|, located directly above and in the vertical plane with the stud axles III, III. This cross bar, to which the two bell crank levers may be rigidly attached is mounted at its ends in upright hangers or plates 32, 32 that are rigidly fixed to the rear frame section B, and the other arm 33 of each bell crank lever is pivoted at 34 to a forwardly projecting link 35 the front end of which is pivoted at 36 to an upright plate 31, one of which plates is rigidly attached to the complementary side rails of the front section A.

By this arrangement of the levers and linkage, the leveller is automatically adjusted as the rear section B is manually adjusted, and the pairs of hangers 32 and 31 at opposite sides of the hinged frames coact with the levers and linkage for retaining the leveller in adjusted position.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a .wheeled implement as described, the

combination with a hinged frame including a front section and a rear section, means for adlusting the rear section relative to the ground, of a leveller pivotally mounted in the front section, an upright frame rigid with the inner end of the rear section and a cross bar mounted therein, a pair of bell crank levers rigid with the cross bar, links connecting said levers with the leveller, an upright frame rigid with the inner end of the front section, and links connecting the levers with said last-named upright frame.

2. In an automatic land leveller as described, the combination with an articulated frame and supporting wheels therefor, said frame including a front section and a rear section, of a scraper blade pivotally mounted in the front section, an upright frame rigid with the inner end of the rear section and a cross bar journaled therein, an upright frame rigid with the inner end of the front section, a pair of spaced bell crank levers rigid with the cross bar, links connecting said levers with the scraper blade, and links connecting said levers with the upright frame of the front section.

3. In a wheeled implement as described, the combination with a hinged frame including a front section and a rear section, means for adjusting the rear section relative to the ground, of a leveler pivotally mounted in the front section, an upright frame rigid with the inner end of the rear section and a crossbar mounted therein, a pair of hell crank levers rigid with the crossbar, means connecting said levers with the leveller, an upright frame rigid with the inner end of the front section, and means connecting the REFERENCES crran The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,277,623 Matthews Sept. 3, 1918 1,807,639 Stocker June 2, 1931 1,941,833 Gustafson Jan. 2, 1934 2,277,889 Shumaker Mar. 31, 1942 2,283,744 Lethlean May 19, 1942 2,444,977 Clark July 13, 1948 

